Construction of the bridge required:
92,000 tons of Portland cement
13,000 tons of lightweight concrete
14,100 tons of steel
1,270 tons of suspension cable
The main span of the Vincent Thomas Bridge is 1,500 feet long as compared to
the Golden Gate Bridge at 4,200 feet long.

Vincent Thomas Bridge is named for Vincent Thomas, former California
Assemblyman, Democrat, 52nd District, San Pedro. Thomas moved to San Pedro
from Oakland in 1919. In 1928, he graduated from San Pedro High School. He
received a Bachelor Degree from the University of Santa Clara in 1932 and
attended the University of Santa Clara and Loyola Law Schools from 1932 to
1936. He worked as a minor sports coach and PE instructor while in college.
He also played football for Santa Clara. He was married and had a daughter
and son. He was elected to the California Assembly in 1940. In 1962, he was
elevated to Dean of the Assembly. He also served as Chairman of the
Committee on Intergovernmental Relations. He was still in the Assembly when
his namesake bridge opened in 1963. He was the individual most responsible
for its realization. He served in the Assembly at least through 1975.

Before the Vincent Thomas Bridge came to be, Terminal Island was reached by
ferry from San Pedro. Boys were known to swim across the channel to the
island in order to avoid paying the five-cent fare. They entrusted their
clothes to one of their number who actually boarded the ferry.

VINCENT THOMAS BRIDGE
FACTS

-- Third largest suspension span bridge in California,
after the Golden Gate Bridge and San
Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, respectively.

-- First welded (not riveted) suspension bridge in the
United States.

-- Only suspension bridge in the world supported
entirely on piles.

-- Named after Assemblyman Vincent Thomas of San
Pedro. In 1961, the California Legislature passed a
special measure to name the structure after
Thomas in honor of his persistence and faith
in the bridge's future success.

-- Designed by the Bridge Department of the
California Division of Highways, now known as
Caltrans, which owns and maintains the bridge.

-- When the Bridge opened in 1963, a 25-cent toll was collected in each
direction.
On grand opening day, Assemblyman Thomas paid the first toll. In 1983, the
toll
increased to 50 cents for westbound traffic and was free for eastbound
traffic.
In 2000, the Bridge was considered “paid for” and the toll was repealed.

-- Painting the bridge is a routine and continuous maintenance job, handled
by Caltrans,
which requires 1,500 gallons of zinc, 500 gallons of primer and 1,000
gallons
of green paint to cover the span.

-- In 1996, the Los Angeles City Council declared the Vincent Thomas Bridge
as
the City of Los Angeles’ official welcoming monument.

VINCENT THOMAS BRIDGE LIGHTING STATISTICS
Light Color: Blue
Light Type: Clusters of tiny light-emitting diodes (LEDs)
Number of Lights: 160 lamps on the bridge; 360 LEDs per lamp
Lamp Size: Five millimeters in diameter
Lamp Brightness: Equivalent to 150-watt incandescent bulb
Power Use:
20 watts total (low usage + high-intensity light output)
Powered by:
4.5-kilowatt solar panel system – each panel is two feet wide and four feet
long and generates 10 watts of electric power per square foot
Maintenance:
Solid-state circuitry and robust construction enables LED lamps to withstand
ocean gales and corrosive sea air for years of maintenance-free operation
Average Life: 100,000 operating hours – LED lamps last 30-50 times longer
than incandescent lamps and deliver a power savings of 80-90% compared to
traditional lights.
Environment: Will not disrupt migratory birds
Will not burden the power grid
Non-polluting
Project Cost: $1,002,657.81
Schedule: Lights turned on from dusk to midnight every night, per California
Coastal Commission requirements